Loretta Rapisardi, left, and Christy Murphy of Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty stand on the steps of The Captain's House in Rye. / Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

The covered patio at Hudson Cliff House has a panoramic view of the Hudson River. The homeowners, Steve and Carole Acunto do a lot of entertaining here in the warmer months. / Submitted by Steve Acunto

More

ADVERTISEMENT

We asked. You answered.

Living Here was launched April 29, 2012, and in the past year, we have profiled more than 40 dream houses in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. We wanted to know your favorites.

Out of 10 of the year’s most memorable houses — from contemporary marvels to historic renovations, from small houses to big mansions — readers chose, by a narrow margin, The Captain’s House in Rye as the favorite, followed by Yonkers’ Hudson Cliff House. Bear Tracks, the Suffern dairy barn turned recording studio turned private home, was third.

The Captain's House

Readers responded to not only the unique character of this 18th century beauty, but the impressive renovation efforts of the Kreegers, its owners at the time. Christy Murphy, the listing broker for the Captain’s House, reports that the house, which had been for sale when it was originally featured, is currently in contract.

“We are so thrilled the Captain’s House won,” says Murphy who had the listing with Loretta Rapisardi. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful house.”

The house — known for good reason as “the Captain’s House” — has a back story that dates to 1780 when it began as a one-story cottage and, reportedly, a welcome respite for sea-weary captains in need of a hot meal, ale and comfortable bed. Positioned directly across from Milton Harbor, that beginning and the original Dutch influence remains firmly in place today, including a section of the original stone front steps, an original door (formerly the home’s front entrance), and a portion of stone steps still visible in the basement that may have led to a lower-level tavern.

An 1820 renovation added distinctive English elements as well as a second floor and more living space, including an upstairs master bedroom. The dining room at the former 1780 entrance, with its original wood beams and wide-plank pine flooring, remains the home’s oldest section.

Many lifetimes later, Doug Kreeger stepped through the front door and looked up to see blue sky where the roof should be, something that would give most new homeowners pause — or perhaps send them fleeing from the deal. Despite a nagging what-have-I-gotten-into voice, Kreeger trusted his instincts that this historic house was a keeper. That was 1998, and he and his wife never looked back.

(Page 2 of 4)

The couple’s thoughtful renovations beautifully blend the various architectural styles, while seamlessly working in contemporary updates. During the extensive renovation, even the original 1899 barn got a redo without compromising its character.

Irreplaceable features include exposed beams, original ceramic moldings, wide-plank original floors throughout, an antique Federal-style front door (with an original doorknob bell) and the original Dutch rear door. Both doors are surrounded by antique leaded glass.

“We wanted to be respectful of what was there and maintaining features that spoke to a period of history and were irreplaceable,” Kreeger explained. “A lot of people would have torn it down, but we love it.”

The new owners will obviously agree.

“After living in a house with all of our family memories, it feels great to know another family will live here in such a warm and caring environment,” Kreeger says. “They are truly fortunate to find a home, that spoke to them, as it did us.”

— Karen Odom

2. Hudson Cliff House

Hudson Cliff House in Yonkers’ historic Park Hill neighborhood was the second top vote getter. Maria Ciulli, who lives in the neighborhood emailed her vote, saying, “I know it well. I live in Park Hill.”

B.L. Scherer had this to say: “Its sensitively restored exterior and well-preserved interior are surrounded with beautiful grounds, and from the terrace guests can enjoy one of the finest views of the Hudson at Yonkers. Hudson Cliff House is not merely a grand old house, but, thanks to its owners, a living embodiment of the Old World in all its dignified grace and hospitality.”

It’s very easy to imagine what it was like visiting this home back when it was built by financier Capt. Robert Boettger in 1914. Guests entered via a circular driveway then stepped out of their carriages in the porte cochere before being welcomed into the Great Hall through scrolled, forged iron and glass doors.

Capt. Boettger spared no expense on his home. Rooms of baronial proportions, clad in walnut and sawn oak and lit by chandeliers and custom sconces, were set for formal occasions.

(Page 3 of 4)

That experience is pretty much the same today. Now owned by Steve and Carole Acunto, Hudson Cliff has been burnished to a gorgeous sheen, all of its original details restored and gleaming, from the rare Chestnut paneling and built-in sideboard in the formal dining room, to the 10 fireplaces, each with a unique mantel, including a carved stone one in the Great Hall.

In the warmer months, the Acuntos entertain outdoors on an original, partially covered terrace which has an amazing Hudson River view. Split stone steps lead down to a garden and covered arcade. There’s a lovely pool to the side of the house and a fully finished lower level in the house which has a party kitchen, a gym, a wine cellar and changing rooms for the pool.

With all the big wows, there are small details a visitor might miss, such as the oval stained glass insets in most of the windows and doors. “Each represents a place that Capt. Boettger had been on his travels,” explains Carole Acunto. Most of the hardware is intact, too, such as door knobs and latches, even the brass fixtures in all the bathrooms.

The Acuntos, for all the grandeur of their home, are a down-to-earth couple who have taken on the task of maintaining a historic home.

“In Italian, it’s un dovere, meaning ‘need to do,’ ” says Steve Acunto, the Hon. Vice Consul for the Republic of Italy. “When we bought the house that is the phrase that came to mind; it was something we needed to do.”

—Karen Croke

3. Bear Tracks

Once, long ago, the bucolic land around Suffern was full of farms, and the McKinney estate was no exception. Its huge barn was handmade of stone and timber, with soaring ceilings and a grain loft. That distinctive building, now called Bear Tracks, was the third top vote getter.

It changed hands through the years, most famously to Jay Beckenstein, founder of jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, who built a recording studio here. Bear Tracks was visited by rock legends like the Goo Goo Dolls, Foreigner and late composer Marvin Hamlisch.

(Page 4 of 4)

Now sited on 4.5 acres, Bear Tracks has been totally restored. Jim and Leslie Brunn bought the property in 2005 and returned it to its former glory, a stunning home that marries old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern living.

“We first fell in love with the house because of the park behind it. And the unique structure — we realized it was a structure that just couldn’t be duplicated,” says Jim Brunn. “When I saw this house I knew it would be a big undertaking but I also knew I couldn’t pass it up. We knew it was a one-of-a-kind building, and it took years to slowly, carefully put it back together.”

The key word of this whole restoration is “authentic” — which is not necessarily the same as “original.” In this case it’s often superior, since it has resulted in exceptional craftsmanship and quality materials without the hundred years of wear and tear. The great room fireplace is a perfect example — the Brunns closed up a loft door that led nowhere and instead had a fireplace built using local river fieldstone that perfectly matched the house’s original construction.

Bear Tracks, at 926 Haverstraw Road in Suffern, is currently on the market for $2,850,000 with estimated annual taxes of $32,109. Interested? Contact: Richard Ellis, Richard Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty, 914-393-0438.